Photo by George Shiras, 3rd
YOUNG GULLS WHOSE LATER COLORING HARMONIZED WITH THE ROCKS AND GRAY
BRUSH SO CLOSELY THAT IT REQUIRED A SKYLINE PHOTOGRAPH TO SHOW THEM
See writer's opinion on protective coloration in first part of sheep article
the surface flow, for much of the ground
was hard and dry, which accounted for
the moose opening up a new lick near
the lake by tapping the springs at the
base of the sloping shore.
"The number of fresh tracks and the
variation in size finally convinced Tom
that a good many bulls were regular pa
trons. The surrounding country had all
been burnt over many years before, and
this was somewhat unfavorable for day
light photography, since bull moose are
largely nocturnal, unlike the caribou and
elk, especially when visiting licks or ex
posed feeding places. The ones we had
just seen were early morning visitors,
and the little patch of spruce would have
sheltered them until afternoon or even
ing but for our unexpected arrival.
"While talking over the location of
the blind in reference to the position of
the sun at different hours and the prob
ably prevailing winds-the two vital ele
ments in this kind of photography-we
saw the big bull a mile away, tearing
along the top of a bare ridge leading to
the mountain forests. His gait showed
that stolidity had at last given way to a
belated but overpowering fear.
We
never saw that animal again in the weeks
spent on the lowlands. When cutting
some brush a good-sized cow moose
walked up within a stone's throw, trot
ting away unmolested.
"Anxious to know the number and
course of the runways and the character
of the country immediately back of the
lake before taking up the daily vigil at
the blind, we went inshore half a mile to
the pond where the moose were. seen the
evening before. Here several acres of
pond lilies in shallow waters were un
touched-not a leaf or root had been
eaten or disturbed-in striking contrast
to the moose of Maine, New Brunswick,
central Canada, and Minnesota, which
always considered such aquatic plants
the choicest of summer food. Yet I no
ticed the same lack of appreciation in the
moose of higher altitudes in Wyoming
and elsewhere. Going a mile further,
Tom recognized a high mound as the
lookout for the other lick, and this was
examined with great care. While used to
some extent, it was only a brief stopping
place for the moose en route to the shore
lick-indicated by the runways, but more
particularly by the condition of the soil."
Whenever the wind was favorable and
the weather clear I went to the blind, but
usually between 9 and 4 the breeze came
from the lake, cutting off the principal
runways, so that in a few days a number
of moose suspected, though unjustly,
that a foe was in ambush near the lick.
Altogether I saw some 30 moose in
the immediate neighborhood, many of
them the same animals, returning on dif
ferent days. One big moose came within
easy rifle shot, got the scent and retired,